Rabies Vaccine or No Rabies Vaccine?

First - yes, there are local and state laws to guide us.

Second - if the cat is an inside only cat - WHY?

Third - if I have to - I can do it later

Today, I took my 6-month old kitten - born of a feral mother - to the vet for her surgery.
The kitten's name is Paislee.  She has been growing up in the garage probably all of her young life.

She is "socialized", and will not be going outside.

I've been reading up on vaccines and the more I read the more undecided I am - leaning on the idea that under certain circumstances - no vaccines are better than a vaccine that introduces possible harm into the otherwise protected cat.

The hospital I took her to has a feral/stray program.  For $100 they spay, give vaccines - FeLV and Rabies are two of the vaccines.  

I absolutely declined on the FeLV.

I asked what Rabies Vaccine they used.

They use the adjuvant rabies vaccine - the one good for three years.

Well, I was changing my mind several times before I left - saying "yes" before I left the hospital.

When I got home, I started re-reading my research.  I was unsettled, so I called the hospital and said NO to giving it.  I could alway give her a vaccine later - but since I am uneasy about this type of vaccine right now - go with my "gut" and decline.

Maybe my regular hospital uses the PureVax - and if I must, then I'll go that route.

With the giving of vaccines I feel I am walking a tight rope.  Either way I decide and my decision could be absolutely wrong - so, for today - I'll go with the information that I have and decline.

I wonder IF the reason for giving this adjuvant rabies vaccine to Feral-born is because they'll be outside and exposed to all sorts of rabies-infected animals and it lasts for 3 years?  

This vaccine seems to be the only one either of the two clinics use and don't offer the PureVax as an alternative - so I'll be checking with my VCA Animal Hospital to see what they use because they are usually out front on many of these issues.

So, Paislee will come home with only her incision to heal, and I trust that there will not be any other concerns,

I have read pros and cons for each.  My vet uses the one year because the one shot is safer.  The other side is that the cat will get vaccinated three times as much.  My one cat gets vaccinated annually for rabies and gets the other combo shot every three years.  My other cat doesn't get vaccinated because of IBD which has led to hepatitis in the past.  Even though his blood work comes back normal he probably does have some liver damage so the vet decided no more vaccines for him.  They are both indoor cats.

Denice said:

...My vet uses the one year because the one shot is safer.  The other side is that the cat will get vaccinated three times as much....

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This "other side" - blue - is ONLY a reason for concern when the vaccine is something other than the Merial PureVax Rabies Vaccine....

One of the most well respected experts in the field of veterinary immunology is Dr. Ronald Schultz http://secure.aahanet.org/eweb/dyna...1Att&webcode=speakerbios_dtl&cst_recno=323673

Dr. Karen Becker (Healthy pets blog) interviewed Dr Schultz specifically about the issue of 1-year/3-year vaccines.

Here's the focal part taken from that interview.......the full link is included where you'll find both text and the video interview from which the article has been extrapolated:

Is There a Difference Between the 1-Year and 3-Year Vaccines?

With regard to vaccine-associated sarcomas (VAS) in cats, Dr. Schultz believes it's preferable to give the non-adjuvanted 1-year rabies vaccine over the 3-year vaccine containing adjuvants. Whereas the non-adjuvanted 1-year vaccine created no inflammatory response at the injection site (a marker for tumor development), adjuvanted rabies vaccines are known to cause more VAS. So even in genetically predisposed kitties, it is assumed the non-adjuvanted product, even given yearly, is less harmful than the adjuvanted vaccine.

http://healthypets.mercola.com/site...f-most-pets-are-vaccinated-way-too-often.aspx

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Another informative article by Dr. Becker is here http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2012/07/04/pets-vaccine-dangers.aspx

This is an excerpt from Dr. Pierson's website:  http://www.catinfo.org/?link=vaccines

where she states that even the 1-year vaccine is probably good for 3 years - but because of laws it is required every year.

PureVax is the only vaccine she would use ...

DO NOT ALLOW AN ADJUVANTED RABIES VACCINE TO BE USED.

Unfortunately, the PureVax rabies vaccine only carries a 1-year rating even though 2 studies have shown that it protects cats for much longer.  This is in contrast to the more dangerous adjuvanted rabies vaccines that carry a 3-year rating.

Merial conducted 2 well-run studies showing that their PureVax rabies vaccine protected all study participants from a challenge with the rabies virus 3 years later.  However 1 'control' (non-vaccinated) cat in each study did not die from the rabies challenge. Therefore, Meriel was not granted a 3-year license for this vaccine.  Good science shows that this vaccine is protective for at least 3 years but legally, it is only labeled for 1 year protection.

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I didn't answer the poll because I found the set up confusing.

All my cats are kept current on the yearly rabies vaccine, PureVax. I would never give a cat an adjuvanted vaccine except for a TNR feral that I might never be able to trap again.

Given that I live in a major city with a decent sized bat population I'm not going to take a chance. 

Fun fact about Rabies law in Illinois-

If an unvaccinated animal is exposed to a rabid animal the state recommends humane euthanasia immediately, if not the animal can be home quarantined for no less than 90 days (most counties in Illinois have longer periods to go on top of that).  During quarantine if the animal becomes ill for any reason it must be euthanized and tested for rabies infection. 

Rabies is a terrifying, fatal disease that lives everywhere in this country, that is why the vaccine laws are there.  It is up to us to attend to making sure our animals do not suffer for it.

Also, it is interesting to note a recent study shows "vaccine related sarcomas" may actually be "injection site inflammation related sarcomas", new studies are going on to confirm/disprove this and look for a genetic link.  This still leaves us in favor of non-adjuvanted vaccines, but people should be aware that any injection that causes inflammation will increase the likelihood of developing a sarcoma in pre-disposed cats.

Imbri said:

I didn't answer the poll because I found the set up confusing.

All my cats are kept current on the yearly rabies vaccine, PureVax. I would never give a cat an adjuvanted vaccine except for a TNR feral that I might never be able to trap again.

Given that I live in a major city with a decent sized bat population I'm not going to take a chance. 

Fun fact about Rabies law in Illinois-

If an unvaccinated animal is exposed to a rabid animal the state recommends humane euthanasia immediately, if not the animal can be home quarantined for no less than 90 days (most counties in Illinois have longer periods to go on top of that).  During quarantine if the animal becomes ill for any reason it must be euthanized and tested for rabies infection. 

Rabies is a terrifying, fatal disease that lives everywhere in this country, that is why the vaccine laws are there.  It is up to us to attend to making sure our animals do not suffer for it.

Also, it is interesting to note a recent study shows "vaccine related sarcomas" may actually be "injection site inflammation related sarcomas", new studies are going on to confirm/disprove this and look for a genetic link.  This still leaves us in favor of non-adjuvanted vaccines, but people should be aware that any injection that causes inflammation will increase the likelihood of developing a sarcoma in pre-disposed cats.

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Sorry about the Poll - I can't seem to edit it.  I think, by your post, that you would favor the  "Non-adjuvanted - Yes" part since you are able to get the PureVax vaccine and it is non-adjuvanted.  Also, where there are laws like you reported - having your cat vaccinated helps your cat from being euthanized should he/she bite someone. 

We all must calculate our individual circumstances. From what you said here, especially about the bat population - makes sense to give the vaccine.  Bats do find ways of getting inside our living spaces, so ....  

I used to think that indoor only cats didn't need rabies vaccine until several years ago a man died of rabies.  A bat had gotten into their house and he got it out of the house, which someone should never do, it's much safer to pay a wildlife person to come and do it for you.  The family said that's the only way he could have been exposed.  My cat's go crazy when a fly gets in the house so I can imagine what they would do with a bat.  They trap a few bats around here and check them for rabies.  On a real regular basis some of them test positive for rabies.  My vet does use Purevax for all of their vaccines.  

In general something like 7 to 8% of bats in an area will be carrying the rabies virus, and bats may be somewhat resistant to the virus so they can live longer while still being able to infect others. 

I've worked in the animal health field for over 10 years now, and seeing a house cat exposed to a rabid bat seems to happen every other year on average.  The chances are small, I'm with Denice, it is too great a risk to take.  Better safe than dead.

I am sorry, that, I do not understand the poll, so, I am just going to give you my :

Pure domestics:

1) All my pure domestic cats, got rabies shots. They are indoor/outdoor cats, that, is number one. Second, one of the domestics, is ALWAYS eating wild prey items. Third, it is the LAW, that, my cats have rabies vaccines. Lastly, they are given a Non-adjuvanted vaccine yearly.

2) All my domestics, get a FeLV shot yearly. The reasons are as follows: number one, they are all indoor/outdoor cats and second, I feel better giving it to them.

3) They are given a four way injection for: Panleukopenia (distemper), Rhinotracheitis, Calcivirus and Chlamidia

Exotic cat hybrids (F1 Bengal and F3 Savannah):

1) By law, they must be given one year rabies vaccines, or, I could have lost them, if, someone claimed they got injured. They where given Purevax vaccines. Or, as, the poll says: Adjuvanted (killed vaccine).

2) I would not give them a FeLV vaccine. The reasons are: first they where strictly indoor cats, with no access to outdoors (no enclosure, walks on a harness, or allowed to roam like the pure domestics) and I was paranoid about injection site cancer and them just being "generally unwell" from the vaccine.

3) They where also given: Pfizer Fel-O-Cell IV, a four-way vaccination providing protection against Panleukopenia (distemper), Rhinotracheitis, Calcivirus and Chlamidia.

Pure Exotic (Male African Serval):

1) By law, he must be given one year rabies vaccines, or, I could have lost him, if, someone claimed they got injured.  He was given: Purevax Feline Rabies Vaccine, Merial, Inc.

2) For Feline Leukemia, Feline Rhinotracheitis, Calici Virus, Panleukopenia and Chlamydia, I gave the following: Fel-O-Vax LV-K, Fort Dodge Laboratories Inc., Fort Dodge, IA 505501                                                                                                           

okay, I give on up on the poll - this was my first time trying such a thing, ugh!  I've asked a moderator how to edit it, or delete it.

My cats get rabies shots simply because it's the law and I don't want to take any chances.  Especially with Swanie, because when he gets scared I'm not at all sure he wouldn't bite.  But my vet uses the pureVAX and that's the only one they will be getting.  I had heard they were working on a three year vaccine, but haven't heard anything about it for some time.